<h2>Name</h2>
<p>
This Surah is entitled <em>Al Mujadalah</em> as well as <em>Al Mujadilah</em>, the title
being derived from the word <em>tujadiluka</em> of the very first verse. As at
the outset mention has been made of the woman who pleaded with the
Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) the case of <em>zihar</em> pronounced
by her husband and urged him to suggest a way out of the difficult
situation in order to save her and, her children's life from ruin, and
Allah has described her pleading by the word "<em>mujadalah</em>", the Surah
came to be known by this very title. If it is read as "<em>mujadalah</em>",it
would mean "pleading and arguing", and if it is read as "<em>mujadilah</em>",
it would mean "the woman who pleaded and argued."
</p>
<h2>Period of Revelation</h2>
<p>
There is no tradition to tell as to when this incident of pleading and
arguing took place, but there is a hint in the subject matter of the
Surah on the basis of which it can be said with certainty that it
happened some time after the battle of the Trench (Shawwal, 5 A. H.).
In Surah Al-Ahzab, Allah while negating that an adopted son could be
one's real son, had just said this and no more; "And Allah has not
made those of your wives whom you divorce by <em>zihar</em> your mothers." But
in that Surah there was nothing to the effect that to divorce a wife by
<em>zihar</em> was a sin or a crime, nor anything about the legal injunction
concerning it. Contrary to it, in this Surah the whole law relating to
<em>zihar</em> has been laid down, which shows that these detailed injunctions
were sent down some time after the brief reference to it in Surah Al-
Ahzab.
</p>
<h2>Subject Matter and Topics</h2>
<p>
In this Surah instructions have been given to the Muslims about the
different problems that confronted them at that time. 
</p>
<p>
From the
beginning of the Surah to verse 6 legal injunctions about <em>zihar</em> have
been given, along with which the Muslims have been strictly warned
that it is contrary to their profession of the Faith that they should
still persist in the practices of ignorance after they have accepted
Islam, that they should break the bounds set by Allah, or refuse to
abide by them, or that they should make their own rules and
regulations contradictory to them. For this there is not only the
punishment of disgrace and humiliation in the world but in the
Hereafter too there will be strict accountability for it. 
</p>
<p>
In vv. 7-10
the hypocrites have been taken to task for their secret whisperings
and consultations by which they conspired and intrigued against the
"Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings), and because
of their hidden malice and grudge greeted him, like the Jews, in a
manner as to wish him ill instead of well. In this connection, the
Muslims have been consoled, as if to say: "These whisperings of the
hypocrites can do no harm to you; therefore, you should go on doing
your duty with full trust in Allah". Besides, they have also been
taught this moral lesson:"The true believers, when they talk secretly
together, do not talk of sin and transgression and disobedience to the
Messenger if they have to talk secretly together they should talk of
goodness and piety." 
</p>
<p>
In vv. 11-13 the Muslims have been taught certain
manners of social behavior and given instructions to eradicate
certain social evils which were prevalent among the people then as
they are today. If some people are sitting in an assembly, and more
people arrive, they do not show even the courtesy as to squeeze in so
as to make room for others, with the result that the new-comers have
to keep standing, or to sit in the door-way, or to go back, or seeing
that there is enough room yet start jumping over the people's heads to
find room for themselves. This often used to be experienced in the
Holy Prophet's assemblies. Therefore, Allah gave the instruction, as
if to say:"Do not behave selfishly and narrow mindedly in your
assemblies but do accommodate the new-comers also with an open heart."
</p>
<p>
Likewise, another vice found among the people is that when they go on
a visit to somebody (an important person, in particular), they prolong
their sitting and do not at all mind that encroaching upon his time
unduly would cause him hardship. Then, if he tells them to leave, they
mind it; if he himself rises up from their assembly, they complain of
his lack of manners; if he tells them indirectly that he has some
other business also to attend to, for which he needs time, they turn a
deaf ear to his request. The Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace)
himself also had to experience such misconduct of the people, who in
their earnestness to benefit by his teaching did not at all see that
they were wasting his precious time so badly needed for other
important works. At last, Allah in order to eradicate this bad manner,
enjoined that when the people are asked to rise up from an assembly,
they should rise up and disperse. 
</p>
<p>
Another vice prevalent among the
people was that each person wished to have secret counsel individually
with the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) without any real
need, or would like that he should approach him during an assembly and
whisper something to him. This was not only embarrassing for the Holy
Prophet but also annoying for the people who sat in the assembly. That
is why Allah imposed the restriction that anyone who wanted to consult
him in private, should first give away something in charity. The
object was that the people should be warned of this bad manner and
made to give it up. Thus, the restriction was kept in force for a
short while, and when the people had corrected their behavior, it was
withdrawn. 
</p>
<p>
From verse 14 to the end of the Surah members of the Muslim
society, which was a mixture of the sincere Muslims and the hypocrites
and the waverers, have been told plainly as to what is the criterion
of sincerity in Islam. One kind of Muslims are those who are friends
with the enemies of Islam: they do not hesitate for the sake of their
interests to be treacherous to the religion which they profess to
believe in; they spread all sorts of doubts and suspicions against
Islam and prevent the people from adopting the Way of Allah. But since
they are part of the Muslim community their false profession of Faith
serves them as a cover and shield. The second kind of Muslims are
those who, in the matter of Allah's Religion, do not care even for
their own father, brother, children, and family, to say nothing of
others. They do not cherish any feeling of love for the person who is
an enemy of God and His Messenger and His Religion. Allah in these
verses has explicitly stated that the people of the first kind, in
fact, belong to Satan's party however hard they may try to convince
others of their Islam by swearing oaths. And the honor of belonging
to Allah's party is possessed only by the Muslims of the second kind.
They alone are the true Muslims: they alone will attain to true
success, and with them alone is Allah well pleased.
</p>

